Credibility for Women Upon Terminal Degree Attainment in Leadership

Women have worked tirelessly to shatter the glass ceiling to acquire leadership positions, in which many have aspired to attain terminal degrees in leadership, therefore, transferring their leadership skills beyond the classroom walls. The purpose of this narrative study was to investigate the experiences of women who have successfully earned terminal degrees in leadership and discuss the perceived credibility it afforded them thereafter. This study utilized purposive and snowball sampling and consisted of 12 semistructured interviews conducted in the spring of 2023 with female-identifying participants who had successfully earned a terminal degree (EdD or PhD) in leadership in North America. A data review indicated that credibility after attainment was a major theme. The findings suggested the participants had various motives for earning their terminal degrees, but common challenges with credibility in their career fields materialized. The reasoning behind attainment consisted of personal, career, and educational endeavors; however, earning a terminal degree in leadership enabled several participants to garner credibility in their professions.